HMS Thetis has the rare and unwanted honor of a submarine to have twice sunk and killed her crew. She sank during trials in 1939, drowning 99 men, before being raised and renamed. Sunk again during battle in 1943, her entire second crew was also lost. 00
Over 500 years ago, Leonardo da Vinci made an interesting…
Over 500 years ago, Leonardo da Vinci made an interesting observation about trees. He concluded that the total thickness of a tree’s branches is equal to the total thickness of the tree trunk. Trees across many species obey this rule. Explanations involve hydrological and structural theories. 00
By 1932, Mickey Mouse had lost his edge since becoming…
By 1932, Mickey Mouse had lost his edge since becoming a role model for children. Disney wanted to create a character to portray more negative character traits, which could no longer be bestowed on Mickey. That’s when Disney started working on a short-tempered character named Donald Duck. 00
A teen needing a heart transplant was rejected…
A teen needing a heart transplant was rejected in part because of his history of juvenile detention. A media outcry resulted in his getting a new heart, and later he died fleeing after a carjacking/burglary/shooting spree. 00
In China, toilet paper theft is such a big problem…
In China, toilet paper theft is such a big problem that someone created facial recognition software that makes you stare a computer in the eye for toilet paper dispensing. 1 piece per person. 00
In 2008, a manager at BusinessWeek magazine in New York…
In 2008, a manager at BusinessWeek magazine in New York became trapped in an elevator for 41 hours. The lawsuit ($25 million) he eventually filed against the building’s management company took 4 years to complete during which time he lost his job, his money, his colleagues and his apartment. 00
When the D-Day forces landed, Hitler was asleep. None…
When the D-Day forces landed, Hitler was asleep. None of his generals dared send re-enforcements without his permission, and no-one dared wake him. 00
A man, after surviving 33 days lost at sea, finally came…
A man, after surviving 33 days lost at sea, finally came ashore by chance on the Marshall Islands only to discover that his uncle, believed lost at sea 50 years ago, had washed ashore on the same island and started a family there. 00
There was a movement post WW2 to make…
There was a movement post WW2 to make Sicily a US state. There were 40,000 people in Sicily who actively tried to do this, This was due to common family heritage and the fact Sicily was distinct from the rest of Italy. 00
Ecuador uses the USD as their…
Ecuador uses the USD as their official currency, and prefer using the Sacagawea dollar. 00